1  ^aA false balance is an abomination to the Lord,

^bbut a just weight is his delight.

2  ^cWhen pride comes, then comes disgrace,

but with ^dthe humble is wisdom.

3  ^eThe integrity of the upright guides them,

^fbut the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

4  ^gRiches do not profit in the day of wrath,

^hbut righteousness delivers from death.

5  The righteousness of the blameless ⁱkeeps his way straight,

but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.

6  ^hThe righteousness of the upright delivers them,

but the treacherous ^jare taken captive by their lust.

7  When the wicked dies, his ^khope will perish,

and ^lthe expectation of wealth¹ perishes too.

8  ^mThe righteous is delivered from trouble,

and the wicked walks into it instead.

9  With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,

but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

10  ⁿWhen it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,

and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.

11  By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,

but ^oby the mouth of the wicked ^pit is overthrown.

12  Whoever ^qbelittles his neighbor lacks sense,

but a man of understanding remains silent.

13  Whoever ^rgoes about slandering reveals secrets,

but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

14  Where there is ^sno guidance, a people falls,

^sbut in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

15  ^tWhoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,

but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.

16  ^uA gracious woman gets honor,

and ^vviolent men get riches.

17  ^wA man who is kind benefits himself,

but a cruel man hurts himself.

18  The wicked earns deceptive wages,

but one who ^xsows righteousness gets a sure reward.

19  Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ^ywill live,

but ^zhe who pursues evil will die.

20  Those of ^acrooked heart are ^ban abomination to the Lord,

but those of ^cblameless ways are ^dhis delight.

21  ^eBe assured, ^fan evil person will not go unpunished,

but ^gthe offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

22  Like ^ha gold ring in a pig’s snout

is a beautiful woman without discretion.

23  The desire of the righteous ends only in good,

ⁱthe expectation of the wicked in wrath.

24  ^jOne gives ^kfreely, yet grows all the richer;

another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

25  ^lWhoever brings blessing ^mwill be enriched,

and ⁿone who waters will himself be watered.

26  ^oThe people curse him who holds back grain,

but ^pa blessing is on the head of him who ^qsells it.

27  Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,²

but evil comes to ^rhim who searches for it.

28  Whoever ^strusts in his riches will fall,

but the righteous will ^tflourish like a green leaf.

29  Whoever ^utroubles his own household will ^vinherit the wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

30  The fruit of the righteous is ^wa tree of life,

and whoever ^xcaptures souls is wise.

31  If ^ythe righteous is repaid on earth,

how much more the wicked and the sinner!

1  Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but he who ^zhates reproof is ^astupid.

2  A good man ^bobtains favor from the Lord,

but a man of evil devices he condemns.

3  No one is established by wickedness,

but the root of ^cthe righteous will never be moved.

4  ^dAn excellent wife is ^ethe crown of her husband,

but she who ^fbrings shame is like ^grottenness in his bones.

5  ^hThe thoughts of the righteous are just;

the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

6  The words of the wicked ⁱlie in wait for blood,

but ^jthe mouth of the upright delivers them.

7  ^kThe wicked are ^loverthrown and are no more,

^mbut the house of the righteous will stand.

8  A man is commended according to his good sense,

but one of twisted mind is ⁿdespised.

9  Better to be lowly and have a servant

than to play the great man and lack bread.

10  ^oWhoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,

but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

11  ^pWhoever works his land ^qwill have plenty of bread,

^rbut he who follows ^sworthless pursuits lacks sense.

12  Whoever is wicked covets ^tthe spoil of evildoers,

but the root of the righteous bears fruit.

13  An evil man is ensnared ^uby the transgression of his lips,³

^vbut the righteous escapes from trouble.

14  From the fruit of his mouth ^wa man is satisfied with good,

^xand the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.

15  ^yThe way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

but a wise man listens to advice.

16  ^zThe vexation of a fool is known at once,

but the prudent ignores an insult.

17  ^aWhoever speaks⁴ the truth gives honest evidence,

but ^ba false witness utters deceit.

18  ^cThere is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,

but the tongue of the wise brings ^dhealing.

19  Truthful lips endure forever,

but ^ea lying tongue is but for a moment.

20  Deceit is in the heart of ^fthose who devise evil,

but those who plan peace have joy.

21  ^gNo ill befalls the righteous,

but the wicked are filled with trouble.

22  ^hLying lips are ⁱan abomination to the Lord,

^jbut those who act faithfully are his delight.

23  ^kA prudent man conceals knowledge,

^kbut the heart of fools proclaims folly.

24  ^lThe hand of the diligent will rule,

while the slothful will be ^mput to forced labor.

25  ⁿAnxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,

but a good word makes him glad.

26  One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,⁵

but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27  ^oWhoever is slothful will not roast his game,

but the diligent man will get precious wealth.⁶

28  ^pIn the path of righteousness is life,

and in its pathway there is no death.

1  ^eGod shall arise, his enemies shall be ^fscattered;

and those who hate him shall flee before him!

2  As ^gsmoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;

^has wax melts before fire,

so the wicked shall perish before God!

3  But ⁱthe righteous shall be glad;

they shall exult before God;

they shall be jubilant with joy!

4  Sing to God, ^jsing praises to his name;

^klift up a song to him who ^lrides through ^mthe deserts;

his name is ⁿthe Lord;

exult before him!

5  ^oFather of the fatherless and ^pprotector of widows

is God in his holy habitation.

6  God ^qsettles the solitary in a home;

he ^rleads out the prisoners to prosperity,

but ^sthe rebellious dwell in ^ta parched land.

7  O God, when you ^uwent out before your people,

^vwhen you marched through ^wthe wilderness, Selah

8  ^xthe earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,

before God, the One of Sinai,

before God,¹ the God of Israel.

9  ^yRain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;

you restored your inheritance as it languished;

10  your flock² found a dwelling in it;

in your goodness, O God, you ^zprovided for the needy.

11  The Lord gives ^athe word;

^bthe women who announce the news are a great host:

12  ^c“The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”

The women at home ^ddivide the spoil—

13  though you men lie among ^ethe sheepfolds—

the wings of a dove covered with silver,

its pinions with shimmering gold.

14  When the Almighty scatters kings there,

let snow fall on ^fZalmon.

15  O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;

O many-peaked³ mountain, mountain of Bashan!

16  Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,

at the mount that God ^gdesired for his abode,

yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?

17  ^hThe chariots of God are twice ten thousand,

thousands upon thousands;

the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.

18  ⁱYou ascended on high,

^jleading a host of captives in your train

and ^kreceiving gifts among men,

even among ^lthe rebellious, ^mthat the Lord God may dwell there.